49ers' Colin Kaepernick reveals foot ailment: hangnails

SANTA CLARA -- Colin Kaepernick addressed a foot issue that landed him on the 49ers' injury report last week, and presumably in Week 3, too. He claimed he has a hangnail. Two, actually.

Kaepernick isn't one to lie or amuse the media when the cameras and recorders are rolling. But the plausibility of his hangnail claim seemed to diminish as the ensuing questions progressed.

Here is his exchange Wednesday with the media inside the 49ers locker room:

Reporter: What is the foot issue and has it impacted you?

Kaepernick: "Uh, a hangnail."

Reporter: Really?

Kaepernick: "Yes."

Reporter: So it hasn't impacted you?

Kaepernick: "No."

Reporter: Just hurts?

Kaepernick: "Little bit."

Reporter: What toe?

Kaepernick: "Uh, pinky toe."

Reporter: Right or left foot?

Kaepernick: "Both."

Reporter: That's amazing.

After totaling four carries in the previous two games, Kaepernick had four for 18 yards in Sunday's 32-20 win over Arizona, including a 17-yard scramble. He's averaging five runs per game this season, down from 6.7 runs per start last season.

"I hope he continues not to run against us. He's a big-time weapon," Titans coach Mike Munchak said. "... I don't think he should run. You don't want a quarterback running too much. You're not going to hold up, I don't care who you are.

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"I think it's smart, that the less he runs, probably the better. He'll run enough in the pocket just to buy time and those type of things, and mix in the read-zone and stuff he can do, obviously. But when you have Frank Gore, you want him running the ball as much as possible."